Author Topic: Someone???? (Read 470 times)

mikeymike · « **Reply #25 on:** January 29, 2012, 03:10:08 PM »

It is totally possible to have these symptoms with anxiety. In fact, it is the only thing that would make sense since you have been having these symptoms off and on for two years. ALS does not come and go, so you can cross that one off right now. If you had MS for two years now, the people around you would have noticed.

I told you yesterday, you have to stop testing yourself. Of course your memory is shot...you are using all of your mental power on worrying. You do have real symptoms. You have these symptoms because you are using all of your energy on figuring out what is wrong with you. Your body is exhausted now, that is what is wrong.

Take some vitamins. Eat a banana. STOP TESTING YOUR MIND AND BODY. Stop searching the internet. Play a game, read a book, go out for a walk. Do spmething that keeps you busy, and keeps you distracted. When you feel a new tingle, just acknowledge it...and then put it out of your mind. You do not have to have an emotional response to your symptoms. You make the choice to be scared when you have a physical symptom. You have the power to overcome this, but you have to actually try.

strangerdanger · « **Reply #26 on:** January 29, 2012, 05:32:24 PM »

As I said before, I am the same age as you, I suffer from chronic anxiety and I have a lot of those symptoms. My vision has really gone downhill lately, not abnormal in your late 30's. You should ask your Doctor about having your hormones checked.

People manifest anxiety differently. It's amazing how powerful our brain is. If you start to believe something you can talk yourself into the symptoms. I've done that many times. I once had a problem with a soft toe nail and did a google search- next thing I know I'm convinced I have HIV. It's not rational, but I found a way to adapt the symptoms and convince myself.

If our brains are that powerful over our bodies, it goes to show you that by changing how we think- we might be able to use the power of thought to control our anxiety instead of letting it control us.

beingsarahc · « **Reply #27 on:** January 29, 2012, 05:37:59 PM »

I took a picture of my tongue and it sticks out to the right, not central (ALS)...... My mother was going to take me to the mental hospital to get admitted but i refused to go.

strangerdanger · « **Reply #28 on:** January 29, 2012, 05:48:23 PM »

Are you in therapy at all?

beingsarahc · « **Reply #29 on:** January 29, 2012, 05:54:34 PM »

Yes. I have just started.

Why would my tongue stick out to the side and not central? That's got to be a cranial problem.

vardnas · « **Reply #30 on:** January 29, 2012, 07:02:58 PM »

sarah, you are convinced to the point of belligerence right now. I'm pretty impressed, actually, that you're able to invest so much energy into panicking about this. As one of my therapists says (yes, I have more than one), "imagine if you were to channel all that energy into something useful?!"

I'm not really a betting individual, but I'd be willing to put money down on the likelihood that after you go for your neuro test, and those results reveal that there's nothing wrong with you, that all of these things you're feeling are going to go away. And that in another few days/weeks/months you'll be convinced you have something else. 'Cause that's the way it goes with us anxiety types, isn't it?

beingsarahc · « **Reply #31 on:** January 29, 2012, 07:27:53 PM »

My tongue is pointing out to the side... NOT central. That points toward it being hypoglossal nerve damage which is common in ALS!!! What more do i need to know????

mikeymike · « **Reply #32 on:** January 29, 2012, 07:49:26 PM »

Sarah, you have had your symptoms...off and on... for two years. ALS does not start and stop. You do not have ALS. If you had ALS for two years now, you would not be walking. You do not have ALS.

beingsarahc · « **Reply #33 on:** January 29, 2012, 07:57:21 PM »

I've never noticed my tongue before, this is a new thing. My tongue has ALWAYS been normal. Stuck out like a normal tongue. Not anymore though, completely to the side....It won't sit central no matter how hard it try.

mikeymike · « **Reply #34 on:** January 29, 2012, 08:01:48 PM »

Take a deep breath and try and look at your posts as if you did not write them. Instead, pretend they were written by someone else.

Notice how this topic began by you being certain you have MS. Today, you are convinced you have ALS. Is it just possible that you are experiencing health anxiety?

You are putting yourself through hell right now because you are absolutely certain something is physically wrong with you. Seething is wrong. You have anxiety. If you could just reason with yourself that it is at least possible that this is all caused by anxiety, you could slowly begin to recover.

beingsarahc · « **Reply #35 on:** January 29, 2012, 08:09:41 PM »

How can i take a step back when the proof is in the mirror/on the camera... My tongue is wonky, no one has a wonky tongue unless that have serious nerve problems..... i am terrified. It's 1am and i am not nearer sleeping than i was at 10am this morning.

mikeymike · « **Reply #36 on:** January 29, 2012, 08:11:47 PM »

Sarah, loss of tongue function is not something you first notice by sticking it out to see its orientation. Everyone around you would notice your loss of tongue function...WHEN YOUR VOICE CHANGED DRASTICALLY. You would have noticed when you could no longer swallow food. For the third time, you need to stop testing yourself.

Either your tongue has always been "off cente," or you have convinced yourself of having ALS to the point where your brain is not allowing you to move your tongue properly.

mikeymike · « **Reply #37 on:** January 29, 2012, 08:13:22 PM »

People have wonky tongues. Gene Simmons does not have ALS.

beingsarahc · « **Reply #38 on:** January 29, 2012, 08:22:51 PM »

Please, understand, this is NEW...

beingsarahc · « **Reply #39 on:** January 29, 2012, 08:26:12 PM »

Gene Simmons tongue barely goes to the side and it's just the tip, its my ENTIRE tongue that is over to the right.

LindaRK · « **Reply #40 on:** January 29, 2012, 11:12:07 PM »

sara - I hope you're able to see your doctor tomorrow. It pains me to think of what you're going through with all of this.

Just for tonight - promise yourself to stop thinking about this and try to get some sleep. Lack of sleep will make you feel even worse. Tell yourself, you will be contacting the doc's office tomorrow and hopefully, setting up an appointment or getting some answer as to what's going on with you - anxiety or otherwise.

beingsarahc · « **Reply #41 on:** January 30, 2012, 07:02:37 AM »

Been to the doctors and nothing - he looked in my mouth and said it looked fine.
He's given me escitalopram... Will i take it?

beingsarahc · « **Reply #42 on:** January 30, 2012, 07:36:09 AM »

Clearly my tongue is wonking off to the left side (as you look at it). And there is also noticeable indentation just the the left of the tip on the side as well....

Kookey · « **Reply #43 on:** January 30, 2012, 08:02:21 AM »

My tounge has ridges on the right side when i stick it out. And my tounge is quite bic.. Not too big though. I'm sure what the ohers are telling you is right. You're just panicking right now. I believe i was, too. Just relax yourself for at least 30 seconds. Distract yourself, on something other than what you're feeling. Play a puzzle... Anything but on the computer or focusing on your body. I'm sorry you are going through this, but at least try. Hope you feel better,

-Kookey

beingsarahc · « **Reply #44 on:** January 30, 2012, 08:28:57 AM »

..but the wonkiness is there, to see... Can't get away from it...

mac7701 · « **Reply #45 on:** January 30, 2012, 09:45:58 AM »

Sarah, your tounge looks normal to me. It looks normal to a doctor who has had many, many years of training and personal experience with illnesses not a few days/weeks on the internet Googling like those of us with H/A think will be the best tool for diagnosing us. Your doctor prescribed you a medication that they believe will help you with your anxiety. It is your choice to take it, but if a professional thinks it will help you it is worth investigating.

I have to agree with vardnas, I'm not quite sure what you are looking for here in terms of reassurance. Many people have told you their own stories of having very real and very physical symptoms that they were sure was MS or aLS and it turns out that it never was. And I hope that you understand that when we say that this is coming from anxiety it does not mean that we think you are making it up or that you really are not expericing physical symptoms. We know that you are, but we are asking you to be open to the fact that your brain is a very powerful thing and when you are anxious/stressed it does create physical symptoms that those of us with H/A interpret to be the worst case scenario. Then we go to Google which just adds fuel to the fire which then creates more physical symptoms. I don't doubt that you are having very real and physical symptoms but i highly doubt that it is MS or ALS and now a medical doctor has told you that you are fine. You have to trust that and move on from this. Acceptance is key if you ever want to get past this. I highly suggest you get the book It's not All In Your Head: How Worrying About Your Health Could Be Making You Sick and what You Can Do about It by Gordon Asmundson and Steven Taylor. It explains the connect between your body and your brain and gives you things to do to change your way of thinking. Again, for it to work you have to be able to accept the fact that you have anxiety and that it may be the cause of your physical symptoms. It is worth a look.

I read that you are at the beginning of therapy. Perhaps you can contact your therapist to see if you could go in to see him/her and discuss these new worries.

beingsarahc · « **Reply #46 on:** January 30, 2012, 10:06:24 AM »

Mac - Can you not see it sits to one side?

beingsarahc · « **Reply #47 on:** January 30, 2012, 11:09:06 AM »

Just had another thought. All of a sudden, the handbag i have been carrying for the last 5-10 years, has got too heavy for my shoulder. Could this be a sign of weakness in my arms?

mac7701 · « **Reply #48 on:** January 30, 2012, 11:18:07 AM »

No I can't. And neither did your doctor. Until you are willing to accept and trust your doctor you are going to keep following this downward path of health anxiety and looking for things to be wrong. And I can tell you from experience that the more you look for things to be wrong to more you are going to find. Because you are looking for something that is not there. I did this too.What we think is wrong is more often then not nothing at all, especially if an experienced doctor tells us it is nothing.

You have been given some excellent advice on here from people on this board who have suffered with anxiety for many years and have come out if it. Please listen to them. Please look around this board and read the posts of others like you who swore up and down that they had Ms and/or aLS and in the end none had it. What they did have was anxiety, and that anxiety amplified their symptoms. It wasn't until they found acceptance and opened themselves up to the help that was being given to them that they found any relief. Because the path that you are on now, you will find no relief because you do not have the illnesses you think you have. But you have to choose to accept the help. When you are ready to do that peace and well-being are within your reach. Again, please talk this over with your therapist and be willing to accept the fact that what is wrong is not a rare physical illness, but anxiety, especially if a qualified doctor tells you they can find nothing wrong. I wish and hope you find your peace soon.

LindaRK · « **Reply #49 on:** January 30, 2012, 12:44:01 PM »

How are you feeling today?